Ch-Ch-Changes

We’re officially two weeks into 2017, which means many of us are gearing up for change — and not just on the political front. With New Year’s resolutions still fresh in our minds, nearly half of us have vowed to try and transform some aspect of our lives. But changing a fundamental part of ourselves isn’t always so easy. Youth Radio’s Stella Lau found that lesson out the hard way, after she tried (and failed) to boost her confidence by cutting off her long hair.

Teach with the Do Now Archive

This article is part of our archived Do Now activity series. Use this abridged version to spark a classroom discussion around the prompt:

What steps should we take if we want to actually change ourselves — or others — for the better?

“I thought that getting a haircut was going to magically make me be comfortable with myself,” she said. “But it turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.”

But don’t give up hope yet. Even though statistics suggest most resolutions won’t last, people do seem to be capable of multiple, simultaneous life changes related to both their mental and physical health, according to a 2016 neuroscience study from UC Santa Barbara. And according to a study released last year by Cornell University, we may even be capable of changing our political beliefs, given we hear from people who explain their contrasting points of view using calm language, specific examples, and hedging (meaning our phrasing allows for exceptions) like “it could be the case.”

Learn More…

AUDIO: A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than A Haircut (Youth Radio/KCBS)Youth Radio’s Stella Lau decided she needed a transformation in her life, so she cut off her long hair as a way to try for a fresh start. She expected her new ‘do to reveal a whole new her, but she found out it would take more than a haircut to change her life.

ARTICLE: How To Change Someone’s Mind, According To Science(The Washington Post)This article breaks down the Cornell study into key takeaways about how you might actually be able to sway people’s opinions online. You know, just in case you have that one friend who likes arguing politics online. You know who you are.

AUDIO: What’s Your Political Resolution For 2017 #Resolved2017 (KQED)Curious about what changes people want to see for 2017? Check out KQED’s social media wall of colorfully curated resolutions given the prompt: “In a time of political change in the U.S., many people are wondering about the way forward for the country and what they can do to be a part of that (like, be the change you want to see).”

Possibly some of Gandhi’s most famous words of wisdom are, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” We need to implement these words into our lives now more than ever. In a time of political, social, and environmental despair, throwing our hands up is not going to get the job done. We do not necessarily need to change the way people feel or the way they think. What needs to change is the way they approach and act on issues. In an article in The Washington Post, after a study was performed and results were taken on ChangeMyView, the best way to change someone’s mind is with facts (Swanson, 2016). In an era of “alternative facts” this doesn’t seem possible. Personally, I believe that unless someone is open to changing their mind, they won’t. In politics, compromise is the goal. So, what needs to change isn’t viewpoints exactly, but the ability to give a little and get a little. If we change the great partisan divide and put our differences away to come together, we can actually create change that benefits almost everyone. “In a time of political change in the U.S., many people are wondering about the way forward for the country and what they can do to be a part of that,” (KQED What’s Your Political Resolution?). The answer is opening your mind to compromise and the promise that for every loss, there will be a gain. A reddit user who took part in ChangeMyView stated, “If you haven’t convinced someone after four replies each, your argument isn’t gonna be the one to move them,” (Swanson, 2016). The lesson is if you can’t convince someone who wants to go right to go left, ask them to go straight ahead with you, but never turn around.

My moms a G.I. Joe

I have never really been a big new years resolutions kind of guy. However I do like the idea stated in the article “What’s your political resolution 2017” that said to write your resolution on a sticky note and post it somewhere that you see everyday, like the fridge or maybe the bathroom mirror. Now even though I like this idea people who have new years resolutions or political resolutions do it because, everyone else does it. Or else people would try to change all of the time for someone to actually change they have to really want to change and be prepared for what ever the journey brings ahead. Its cute how people think that a new year brings a new man peoples resolutions usually last about a week or two till they go back to their old habits and, end up repeating the same process the following year with the same excuses as to why they have to change. Usually people who want to change though means they arent comfortable with themselves and feel like they arent good enough for others this is the main reason why I don’t do these little resolutions because, i’m fine with who I am and, how I live my life.

Logan S.

New Year resolutions are created by tons of people worldwide. They seem to last only a couple of days until you decide to break your promise to yourself. From eating only healthy foods to going to the gym every single day, New Year’s resolutions rarely see the light of day. “Changing a fundamental part of ourselves isn’t always so easy.” (Swanson, 2016) It depends on the person. Sometimes people do things, such as drugs, and they become addicted and a part of everyday life. When this happens they become less capable of making a beneficial change. In recent years more than fifty percent of people don’t make New Year’s resolutions. More than four in ten Americans say that they will make a New Year’s resolution. This rate has stayed mostly the same for the last twenty years. “Out of 72% said they kept their resolution.” (Facttank, 2013 pg. 3) This directly shows the rate at which the small amount of people who say they are going to create a resolution and those who carry it out.
“I thought that getting a haircut was going to magically make me be comfortable with myself. But it turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.” (Youth, 2017 pg. 7) Sometimes people really aren’t aware of the change that they can make. If you are in a bad situation you always have the chance to change your life for the better no matter what situation you are in. Viewing the positive side to every encounter you face can help get you the motivation that you need to help you change. It is up to you if you want to change. You can seek help but in the end it really just comes down to the person that you want to be.

Dylan Myers

the first step in changing yourself or others is identifying what you don’t like about yourself. whether that be your weight, clothes, boyfriend/girlfriend, the car you drive or the place you live. after that you need to make a plan on how to get to that goal. you can’t just change yourself with the snap of a finger. if you won’t to lose weight you should join a gym or watch what you eat. if your unhappy in a relationship get out of it. if you don’t like your clothes go shopping. if you want a new car start saving up some extra cash.

Brooke Ponke

Every new year brings new resolutions for millions of people. The resolutions that are made are mostly associated with a change in one’s life, some being more drastic than others. These changes that we make in our lives are not always easy (Are People Actually Capable of Change?) and most of the time include some type of conflict, whether it is physical or mental. Some statistics suggest that many resolutions will not last, but people do seem to be capable of multiple life changes related to both their mental and physical health (Are People Actually Capable of Change?). In an article, The Washington Post stated that people do not define who they are, their genetics and environment do. This statement is only partially true because there are many other factors that need to be taken into account. For example, one’s ambition and determination to successfully complete whatever it may be. It is easy to say that you will make a change in your life, but it is not so easy to actually carry through with it. Even though it may be difficult to make a change in your life, it is essential to grow as a person.

Craig

How easy is it to change? I could go out and get a new haircut no problem, the same with clothes also. This works for your physical appearance, but what about changing your or someone else’s mind. This is something that is easier said than done. However with the help of researchers from Cornell University, you can better your arguments.
The researchers find that the factor most linked with successfully persuading someone is using different words than the original posts do a sign that commentators are bringing in new points of view.(How to change someone’s mind, according to science). Another key that could lead to success is that the research suggests that using specific examples is a big help.(How to change someone’s mind, according to science). They also find that hedging – using language like “it could be the case” – is actually associated with more persuasive arguments.(How to change someone’s mind, according to science).
When asked do I thinks that people can change, my answer is yes. It might take a push to get started but in more ways than one can people change.

Taylar Walsh

I believe that people have the ability to change if they really want to. It’s a mindset, someone has to think they can change then take action about what they want to do. It’s not just about want to change but actually going through with it. Anyone can write whatever they want on social media. The internet is a place where people can voice their opinions without have to talk to someone in person. People hide behind a computer screen and sometimes are very negative towards others. But people are starting to ask at the beginning of a new year if people can change their ways? I think people can change. According to a research done at Cornell University, “they found that longer replies tend to be more convincing, as do arguments that use calmer language.” People who have longer conversations to discuss something end up acting calmer and use nicer language towards each other. If someone has done something one way for their whole life, it might be almost impossible to change their ways. But if that person knows what they are doing is wrong then that is more of an incentive to change. Cornell University said, people who change their opinions are also expressed more calmly and more positively, using words including “help” and “please,” and more adjectives and adverbs”. People need to get over their petty ways and accept things that are happening in the world. Yes, somethings have happened that you might not like but that doesn’t give you the right to riot in the streets or destroy businesses’. I believe that people can change if they really try and truly believe they can succeed.

Living.like.larry

I think people are very well able to change if they put their minds to it. Many people have New Years Resolutions because they don’t like what their doing, or how they are living life, and even though many New Years Resolutions die out in the first few weeks of the new year, some still do stick. I think that if all the people who say that they want a change, and want to change themselves would have no problem doing so, if they we’re motivated enough. Changes can be as simple as cutting hair, to a new diet, to even getting up and moving to a new place.

Alisse Haas
KQED
Mr. Young 2nd hr
1/31/2017
Are People Actually Capable of Change?
In my experiences when I have talked to people about my opinions I have the idea of trying to sway them to my side. But most of the time they are so set on their opinions, and are trying to do the exact same thing. They most of the time never even try to consider a side that contradicts theirs in the slightest bit. So I think when it comes to people changing their minds on their opinions there is not much of a chance to change their minds if they have had that opinion for a long time.
From a recent study from, “A new paper from researchers at Cornell University sheds some light on how and why people are convinced to change their minds.” This article talks about the methods they had used to try to change people’s minds on issues that range from “People don’t define who they are, their genetics and environment do,” reads one. “Zoos are immoral,” says another. “I think that the vast majority of Bernie supporters are selfish and ill-informed,” this was stated in the article: How to change someone’s mind, according to science. By Ana Swanson. What they found out from the study is that the people that used longer responses and talked calmly to each other ended up changing their minds to a certain topic.

Jake T

People are definitely capable of change or there wouldn’t be big talk of people change. As stated in the article by KCBS, people can have change by small things like a haircut (LAU, 2017 p.1). The easiest part is the change whereas the hardest part is having to see what the others think about you after you make the change. Sometimes you just have to go out on a limb and trust that you made the right decision to change something about yourself. A lot of people set goals for them to change. For example, a new year’s resolution (Kehaulani Goo, 2013). Many people set new year’s resolution whereas only a few actually go through with their goals and finish what they had started. It is easy to have a goal and want to do it. You start doing it a few times and it seems easy and then you don’t want to go on with your effort to complete your goal. You have to stay strong on push yourself and complete the goal that you know you can complete. The main goal of most Americans is something like losing weight or self-improvements (Statistic Brain 2017, p.1). Just know that you are capable of change.

sawyer kulman

Sawyer kulman
2nd hour
English IV
KQED

Are people actually capable of change?

Arguments can happen about almost anything, if there was no other side why would the topic be discussed at all if there were no opposing view or way of thinking about something. People can be stubborn the way that they see a topic. One major topic is politics,”In a time of political change in the U.S., many people are wondering about the way forward for the country and what they can do to be a part of that. (says Miranda Leitsinger for youth radio).There are specific things that will help you change someone’s mind and make your point of view sound better. “The researchers find that the factor most linked with successfully persuading someone is using different words than the original posts do – a sign that commentators are bringing in new points of view. They find that longer replies tend to be more convincing, as do arguments that use calmer language.”(The washington post says).
People also are also trying to change themselves to become either more confident or become nicer. “I thought that getting a haircut was going to magically make me be comfortable with myself,” she said. “But it turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.”(Says Youth Radio’s Stella Lau). Confidence is deeper than the looks of a person it comes down to how you feel and if your personality. People can always change but sometimes it takes someone else’s point of view but sometimes it takes yourself like becoming more confident.

Emme Williams

Emme Williams
KQED 2/1/17
5th Hour

I believe that people are capable of change but the level of change and the situation surrounding how they want to change affect what is useful when trying to become different. For example when someone want to change their self-confidence it often goes beyond a change in your looks from something like a haircut. Stella Lau decided to try a haircut that Beyoncé featured in a magazine because she looked like she was glowing confidence, but in reality it did not turn out that way. “A half hour and twelve inches later I expected to feel like a super cool and confident person, but inside I felt like an awkward pubescent boy (A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than A Haircut, Youth Radio/KCBS). I believe that to really make a change the person has to change their environment, meaning possibly a healthier environment with healthy foods and exercise and some change that we want to make just cannot change because we are made a certain way. “People don’t define who they are, their genetics and environment do (How To Change Someone’s Mind, According To Science, The Washington Post).
If you are going for a change in someone’s belief the tactics are different than a change in their environment or a haircut. There is some things that people have their feet glued to the ground on, and there is no changing their opinion, but there is scientific studies that show was that can help you budge them. Numbers are important: The more people that try to persuade the original poster, the greater the likelihood of changing their view (How To Change Someone’s Mind, According To Science, The Washington Post). So when trying to persuade someone look for the statistics involve. Another study found ways to persuade those on social media, which right now is a huge player in political views. “So is timing: Those who write back first to the post first are more likely to persuade the original poster than those who write later, as the lefthand chart below shows (How To Change Someone’s Mind, According To Science, The Washington Post). So if you want to be the most persuasive reply quicker than others. Because science shows ways to persuade, I do believe people are capable of change.

Cecilia Murray

Yes, I believe that people are capable of change, whether it’s politically or emotionally. Changing people’s minds on a political standpoint is easier than changing the way the feel towards themselves. Politically you just have to use the facts to persuade them, but emotionally you have to make the person love themselves and make them see what you see.
A podcast from Youth Radio said “turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.” This was said by a girl who thought that changing her hair would make her more confident about herself; she saw Beyoncé do it so she thought that she could too. When we see a public figure that we look up to and they have changed something about themselves we tend to follow their trend. We might think that it will boost our confidence, but really it takes a lot more than changing the way you look.
Changing someone’s political view can also be difficult because this is something that someone believes in and lives by. Youth Radios Stella Lau says that if you want to change someone’s mind using calm and understanding language and give specific examples you will give them better reasoning to change the way they feel. Ana Swanson at The Washington Post says that your use of language will show that your opinion is malleable or not.

Adam Pall

There are multiple ways to change a person’s mind, including our own. One way to change our mind is by setting a resolution to make a change in our lives, like the people mentioned in The California Report audio clip who set a resolution to become more politically affluent and attend a local government meeting. Another way to change someone’s mind is by going on websites like ChangeMyView. These websites allow users to take a stance on an issue and present their reasoning for their position. (Swanson) These websites also allow others to debate with the poster and try and convince them that they are mistaken in their thinking. But there are definitely some methods that work better than others. Research shows that people are most likely to be swung the other direction by using numbers and citing specific resources in their argument. Studies also show that people are more likely to be convinced to change their position by someone who replies quickly, uses outside knowledge and shows some willingness to admit they may not be right by using phrases like, “it could be the case..” (Swanson) So in short a person’s mind can be changed by setting a resolution and by someone who is knowledgeable and modestly skilled at persuasion.

Jason

People Change, it is simply a part of life, you are not the same person you were a year ago, or maybe even 5 years ago. People are definitely capable of change even if they don’t notice it.

An article titled “How to change someone’s mind, according to science” tells us how arguments can change a person’s mind. “A new paper from researchers at Cornell University sheds some light on how and why people are convinced to change their minds” states the article. Their researchers also suggest that these arguments that change a person’s mind have certain dynamics.

But when it comes to changing a person’s mind, some topics can be difficult, Politics as a great example of this. ” In a time of political change in the U.S., many people are wondering about the way forward for the country and what they can do to be a part of that.” (says Miranda Leitsinger for youth radio). If you are to change someone’s mind on such a topic, then you have to make your point of view sound clear full of lots of good points.

camron

Camron Johnson
5th hour English
KQED 2/1/17
Are people actually capable of change?

In order to answer this question, you have to look at the motive for change. Understandably, if someone wants to change their appearance, they could workout or referring to the article “cutting your hair” could improve/change your appearance. But is changing your appearance going to change you as a person? Or at that change your level of confidence? i believe that these deeper changes can only occur within yourself. In the article it says “people do seem to be capable of multiple, simultaneous life changes related to both their mental and physical health” But changing your opinion starts with changing your outlook on the topic. If someone is in a different situation than you, try to “put yourself in their shoes” try to understand where they could be coming from. After that, we can asses the facts and opinions to form our own.This can also directly relate to modern politics. Many of us (to what we already know) have or have had strong opinions about a topic in the recent presidential election. These opinions seem to split people into groups, groups that debate each other, not calmly or even informatively, but argumentatively. this bias-based debating is a habit of many, and is not the correct way to go about changing others opinions or your own. the article states “given we hear from people who explain their contrasting points of view using calm language, specific examples, and hedging” we can overcome our argumentative, bias-driven stubborn theme that is today’s politics.

jhanelle rhoden

Jhanelle Rhoden
January 31, 2017
English 4
5th hour
Are People actually capable of change?

For most of us our new year’s resolution have been abandoned or even forgotten. Each resolution is a statement to ourselves that something really needs to change and we that we are ready to be better parts of ourselves. Most times change can be extremely painful and feels like it’s impossible to do but everyone is more capable of change than we know. But as Stella Lau from youth radio stated “Changing my physical appearance can only do so much. But true confidence–like Beyonce-level confidence–is about having self-respect and learning not to rely on other people’s approval. And that’s something I’m still working on.” Once you’re truly focused on what you value and who you are as a person then change makes more sense and becomes more real. The truth in this is that people do change and can change but it’s usually a very hard and slow process but everyone can do it. Stella Lau from youth radio also stated that “I expected to feel like this super-cool and confident person. But inside, I felt like an awkward pubescent boy. I thought that getting a haircut was going to magically make me be comfortable with myself. But it turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.” But eventually she understands that change doesn’t just happen like that and that it usually takes time.

Logan Mansberger

Logan Mansberger

KQED

1/31/2107

5th Hour

Are People Actually Capable of Change?

I think people are capable of change in many ways, I think it just depends on the time and the place. I think people are afraid of it, becomes it makes them nervous about coming out of their comfort zone. As the young women talked about Beyonce and her coming out of her comfort zone, it’s apparent that celebrities have a insecurity too sometimes. (woman from audio clip) Getting people to change can come down to the type of conversation also, “There are also significant differences in language between arguments that persuade and those that don’t.” (Swanson, 1) It’s become evident that the way someone approaches a conversation can dictate the ending result of trying to get them to change, The researchers find that the factor most linked with successfully persuading someone is using different words than the original posts do – a sign that commentators are bringing in new points of view. They find that longer replies tend to be more convincing, as do arguments that use calmer language.” (Swanson, 1) I believe people can change with the right words and under the right circumstance.

TaiLi Samson

Are People Actually Capable of Change?

TaiLi Samson

Nothing is possible, but changing a person’s belief solely based on logic and reason seems impossible when their belief is closely tied to their morals at heart. It’s one thing to go through the motions of change like getting a haircut or changing your wardrobe, but according to Stella Lau; “I thought that getting a haircut was going to magically make me be comfortable with myself,” she said. “But it turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.” This seems true when it comes to changing a person’s mind on a certain subject. People cannot simply change their mind because an argument is made against them, they change their mind when the argument makes sense, is explained well, and is tied to their personal morals. An article by the Washington Post on the topic of changing people’s minds states that “Their research suggests that the arguments that end up changing people’s minds have certain dynamics”, meaning that the argument has to symbolize more than an opinion and has to be backed up by facts to turn around the mind of someone. Individuals that tell themselves that they want to make changes will really only benefit from making changes that have a greater effect on the world. “What is the 4th treadmill in your basement or being able to swear at someone in a new language going to do to help you in 2017” was the argument posed by the California Report radio station. This station was calling people to action to make a genuine change in their lives based off their moral dimensions and character instead of asking them to physically change themselves in hopes of a small personal shift in phase.

Jalynn

Nobody ever says, “I just woke up one day and completely changed my lifestyle.” Even the girl from Youth Radio said, “You know how in movies; when a girl gets a haircut and then has this 360 life transformation? I tried doing that, but it didn’t really work.” When people lose weight, those who get the surgery generally gain it back. But those who change their lifestyle over the course of time, find weight loss and change. And according to KQED, “With New Year’s resolutions still fresh on our minds, nearly half of us vowed to try and transform some aspect of our lives.” You see, Americans are so open to change, until we actually have to change. We go all about it in the wrong way. We think that snap-snap it is all done. The thing is we can’t just decide one day to change our lives. New Year’s resolutions are stupid because you should be constantly trying to improve yourself. Change is slow. It is an everyday thing. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
According to US Santa Barbara, “People do seem to be capable of making simultaneous life changes.” We are capable of change. We can do it. But we cannot expect our life to change on day. It is going to take hard work and determination. It takes a routine change, not just a mind change. Change is capable, it’s within our reach, let’s do it right.

Madison Nederhood

Are people actually capable of change?
Madison Nederhood

As children, we change constantly, developing new characteristics and losing old ones, making new friends, changing style, etc. So who says people can’t change as adults also? Although change is hard, I believe that anyone is capable of it, whether it be self induced or changing without realizing it.
Every single year, 41% of Americans make a resolution to change themselves one way or another, and every year, almost half of those people never achieve their goal. (http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/) This shows that change is possible, but it’s quite a hard task to do. Take for example weight loss, 21% of people who develop a new years resolution vow to lose weight, but many of them never achieve it. This is because we are animals of habit, and breaking the habits of our everyday life (like eating junk food) is not easy for any of us. Change is possible, but you must learn to break out of the box you’re in and develop new habits that will better suit the way you want to be.
Stella Lau also vowed to change in a physical way. She decided to cut her hair into a new style expecting to be more confident and look great with a new style. “I thought that getting a haircut was going to magically make me be comfortable with myself,” she said. “But it turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.” But after all, she hated her haircut and regretted the decision in the first place. I believe that this is why a lot of people either don’t achieve their goals to change, or they don’t try to change at all. Referring back to earlier, every single day we go through habit after habit without even realizing it. So when people try to change, or think about doing it, they are scared to break out of that “habit” or comfort zone. They don’t go through with what they’d like to change because they’re scared to the consequences that may come with it. For example, a bad haircut or losing friends. I believe that this is why change is so hard for everyone, and why the statistics for failed new years resolutions are also so high.
Overall, change is hard to overcome, but we are all capable of it if we break out of our comfort zones and develop a new one.

Kayla Murphy

Kayla Murphy

“People don’t define who they are, their genetics and environment do.” (How to change someone’s mind, according to science). People are born into a life; they do not get to choose their parents or choose how they were raised. People do have the power to make changes in their lives when they are older though. If you don’t like how your life is you can change it, it can be harder said than done though because you were raised a certain way and most of the time people turn out a lot like their parents. “Unlike the mindless clashes you often see on Twitter or Facebook, commentors on ChangeMyView explain their reasoning at length.” (How to change someone’s mind, according to science). People are influenced by what they see on social media and on the internet. People’s opinions can change because of untrue things posted. If many people agree with something, you might agree too just because you don’t want to be the only one different. Researchers said, “even in this reddit forum where people are expressly charged with being open-minded, opinions don’t change in the majority of cases.” (How to change someone’s mind, according to science). People could change without changing their opinions. They could change their attitude or their work ethic to be a better person. Some people even change for the worse instead of better. I also believe that some people don’t change. Sometimes it all has to do with how your raised, and your personal morals. Change can be hard to over come for many people, but sometimes change can be good.

Katelyn Olson

Are people actually capable of change?
Katelyn Olson
I believe people are capable of change, big or small. I also believe you must go about change in the right way. There is no way to change if you do not have a good reason. Ana Swanson called the arguments you see on twitter “mindless clashes” in her article entitled “How to Change Someone’s Mind, According to Science”. I agree with Swanson; it is completely meaningless if you are just shooting angry comments toward each other that have no back-up. Swanson goes on to inform readers about a website called ChangeMyView. Commenters on this website use reliable data and information in order to persuade one another to, well, change their view. You need to trust the other person for reliable information and you must trust yourself to be able to tell true from false. Stella Lau, in “A Confidence Transformation Takes more than a Haircut”, told us that you must have self-respect and confidence to change. So, in order to change, you need confidence, reliable information, and you must go about it in the right way. With those basic materials, I believe anybody can change.

Olivia DuBay

Are People Capable of Change?
KQED 1/31/17
Yes, I believe that people are completely capable of change in their views, personalities, and in their arguments. In the article on the science behind changing views, Swanson writes (in a social media context “the more people that try to persuade the original poster, the greater the likelihood of changing their view” (Swanson para. 5, 2016). This suggests that when an argument has a greater following, other people are more likely to change their opinions to match the common belief held. How do we tell people they are wrong when debating them? The same article attempted to answer this very question when they stated that, “some back-and-forth exchange between participants is a sign of success in convincing someone…” (Swanson, para. 6, 2016). As these findings suggest, when we believe that we are on the losing side of an argument, we are more likely to agree with the other person, changing our views. Lastly, when an ideal is held by someone we all tend to look up to, as mentioned by Stella Lau in her Audio Broadcast, A confidence Transformation Takes More Than a Haircut, we see that more people will shift towards that action or idea. There are several ways the people around us can influence us to change our opinions, so yes, people are capable of change.

Emma Lynn

People are capable of change, if we put effort into trying change something in our lives we can. It will take a lot of “having self-respect and learning not to rely on other people’s approval.” (Lau para. 5, 2017). This is mostly something people individually have to work on

Other people can help us change with their opinions when done correctly. Cornell University spent time researching if this worked with a website they developed for opinions. “Their research suggests that the arguments that end up changing people’s minds have certain dynamics. Numbers are important: The more people that try to persuade the original poster, the greater the likelihood of changing their view.” (Swanson para. 5, 2016). If many people help persuade you to change you are more likely to do so.

We are capable of change if we put our minds to it. “people do seem to be capable of multiple, simultaneous life changes related to both their mental and physical health, according to a 2016 neuroscience study from UC Santa Barbara.” (Youth Radio para.3, 2017). Even though it may seem hard for people to change their views and lifestyles it is possible if you put effort into it and take control.

Mason Buck

Are People Capable of Change?
Change doesn’t happen instantaneously. From rocks eroding away into sand, to losing weight with diet and exercise. Any change takes time, you can’t take a magic pill to cut your weight, or learn a new instrument the first day. Stella Lau experienced this firsthand, “I expected to feel like a super cool and confident person, but inside, I felt like an awkward pubescent boy.” (Lau, 2017) I believe that people are hard to change, but capable of doing it through time and effort.
As the article from the Washington Post shows, changing someone is very difficult. “Use these strategies when you argue, but remember that convincing someone of your point of view is no easy task. The researchers point out that, even in this reddit forum where people are expressly charged with being open-minded, opinions don’t change in the majority of cases.” (Swanson, para. 15, 2016) However, people’s minds can be changed sometimes using very specific strategies. “Interestingly, the researchers find that some back-and-forth exchange between participants is a sign of success in convincing someone, but that a lot of it is a sign of failure — shown in the chart below on the right. After five rounds of back-and-forth comments between the original poster and the challenger, the challenger has virtually no chance of receiving a delta, they write.” (Swanson, para. 6-7, 2016) A convincing argument requires multiple, although not too many, replies.
We can see that when it comes to change, nature has made us very stubborn, but not unbreakable. Change can only happen trough patience, effort, and hard work.

Kennedy Mesnard

The world is ever evolving, and a cause is that indeed, people are capable of change. However, when looking to physically see any drastic differences, they may not be seen for a period of time. It seems that change begins to occur when a very persuasive group or individual sets the agenda on that specific subject. This tends to be either a famous individual, or through current, popular social media. “I used to associate pixie cuts with soccer moms and punk kids, but then I saw a picture of Beyoncé rocking one, bleeding with confidence,” (Lau,2016, Audio). This picture caused her to go get a haircut a few days later, picture in hand, a leading cause to many individuals change in hairstyle. Although this change seems small and irrelevant, social media can cause even larger changes in a person. “The universe is constantly clamoring to change your mind about something,” (Swanson, 2016, para. 1). As she later explains, this can be in terms of something as large as politics. “The more people that try to persuade the original poster, the greater the likelihood of changing their view,” (Swanson, 2016, para. 5). Not always physically noticeable, social media has always been successful in altering people in one way or another.
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Maxx Nichols

Are People Actually Capable of Change
Maxx Nichols
One goes through many changes throughout their life. With aging, maturity, and social environment, people are always changing. From a sociological standpoint, behavior is socially constructed. We adapt to our environments so that we have a better chance of survival. “Fitting in” is human nature. For example, when we are in middle school and even high school, we look for the group of so called “popular kids” and try to be their friends and do the same things that they do. However, change relies on social and mental. Youth Radio stated that “I expected to feel like this super cool and confident person, but inside, I felt like an awkward pubescent boy” (Jan 09, 2017). Doing things such as cutting your hair are only changes in how you physically appear to other people, they do not change how people think of your personality. In terms of changing someone’s mind, “Finally, they argue that language tells us something about whether the person’s mind can be changed in the first place” (Swanson, Feb 10, 2016, para. 11). Language and dictation are key to persuasion. Since behavior and mindset is constructed though one’s environment, once they are exposed to new ideas, they are likely, after a period of time, going to adapt to it even in the slightest bit. Ana Swanson also continued to mention that “Changeable opinions are also expressed more calmly and more positively, using words including “help” and “please,” and more adjectives and adverbs” (Feb 10, 2016, para. 12). If you want to change someone’s mind, you point out the good in your argument, not the bad in theirs.

Devra Athanasiadis

Are People Actually Capable of Change?
Yes, because things such as mass media and stereotypes can influence a person enough to push them to make a change either to themselves or to something else. “You know how in movies how a girl gets a haircut and then has a 360 life transformation? I tried to do this, and it didn’t work.” (Lau ,Youth radio) Even though the haircut didn’t end up working out for her, she still made the drastic decision to cut off a foot of her hair in attempt to be confident similarly to how Beyonce was on television . She then found out that changing her physical appearance wasn’t what it took to change her mental appearance, which help her not making any more changes to her body. She changed.
Change can also be incredibly difficult. A paper from Cornell University shows how people change their minds, the research contained an experiment on reddit where posters were presented with an argument and people were invited to reason against them and tried to determine if anyone would change their mind due to an argument. “Interestingly, the researchers find that some back-and-forth exchange between participants is a sign of success in convincing someone, but that a lot of it is a sign of failure”(Swanson,p.6, 2016) Back-and- forth conversation over a topic shows open mindedness and interest, yet stubborn opinions held steady. Also the research showed that, “Numbers are important: The more people that try to persuade the original poster, the greater the likelihood of changing their view. So is timing: Those who write back first to the post first are more likely to persuade the original poster than those who write later.” (Swanson,p.5, 2016) and “They find that longer replies tend to be more convincing, as do arguments that use calmer language.”(Swanson,p.9, 2016). This concludes that people are capable of change and changing their mind but it is a difficult and detailed process and needs a lot of influence.

Libbey Jacobs

You ask me ” are people actually capable of change?” and my answer: yes. When we are young we are taught how to behave and how to act, slowly our minds begin to develop and ‘change’ to what we were taught. So what does that say for adults? can they change just as well as children?
In the article “How To Change Someone’s Mind, According To Science” a research group from Cornell University gives us an insight on why some adults change their minds on topics or views. Some tips to help change a mind are first, right timing: the right timing can change a view a person may have depending on their mood. (Swanson, para.5) Second, numbers: When using numbers and statistics it gives an almost professional view on the topic, also the larger the group of people trying to persuade an individual, the more likely they are to succeed.(Swanson, para.5)
In the audio clip “A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than a Haircut” by youth radio, the girl speaking said something that stuck out to me. “Changing my physical appearance can only do so much. But true confidence–like Beyonce-level confidence–is about having self-respect and learning not to rely on other people’s approval. And that’s something I’m still working on.” The meaning behind this wasn’t false, she truly wanted to change. I think that if a person truly wants to change for the better thy will.

Collin Kingma

Are people actually capable of change? This is a great question and a question that has been asked for a long time. “The universe is constantly clamoring to change your mind about something – whether it’s in the form of Twitter feuds, political debates or Mountain Dew’s horrible “puppy monkey baby” Super Bowl ad (Swanson, para 1).” Believe it or not, any type of debate has a purpose of changing the other person’s mind. This could range from arguing with your parents to presidential debates. The students at Cornell University wanted to answer this question and they found some great data.

“Their research suggests that the arguments that end up changing people’s minds have certain dynamics. Numbers are important: The more people that try to persuade the original poster, the greater the likelihood of changing their view. So is timing: Those who write back first to the post first are more likely to persuade the original poster than those who write later (Swanson, para 5).” From personal experience, these techniques used make the comment seem more credible, therefore changing my mind or proving my thoughts. I would definitely fall for these techniques if used on me, even if the statement wasn’t completely true. The techniques are kind of like a trap.

“Changing my physical appearance can only do so much. But true confidence–like Beyonce-level confidence–is about having self-respect and learning not to rely on other people’s approval. (Lau, para 5)” Relying on someone else for approval can do more harm than good. Respecting yourself is the first major step to confidence. Having confidence is all about you, no one else can do anything about it.

Amelia Wagenschutz

“I looked like an awkward pre-pubescent boy” claims Stella Lau after cutting her long hair into a pixie cut to give herself a confidence boost (Youth Radio/KGBS). What she found was that it was going to take way more than just a haircut to gain confidence. To become more confident, you have to learn to love yourself which is not always an easy thing to do. With the first month of the new year just ending main of us have been trying to like Stella become more confident, eat healthier, or just be kinder. Even though new year resolutions tend to fail, according to statistics of the 41% of people who make resolutions only around 20% and under actually follow through with them (Statistic Brain, 2017). Though the data makes it seem as if people are not capable of change, I am not convinced.
People are capable of change, but only if they really want to change. To change your mindset, you have to be really committed to doing so because it is easy to fall back into bad habits. Other people can also change your mind although this is more complicated. According to the article How to change someone’s mind, according to science, if someone comes off too strong with their stance on an issue it is less likely to change someone’s mind. A softer tone works better to change someone’s mind. “Surprisingly, they find that hedging – using language like “it could be the case” – is actually associated with more persuasive arguments. While hedging can signal a weaker point of view, the researchers say that it can also make an argument easier to accept by softening its tone.” (Swanson, 2016. Para. 11).

Olivia Rick

I think that people can change, but humans are creatures of habit. When we are in the swing of doing things one way, it is really hard to go back to something else. In most cases, people do not change, but it doesn’t mean they can’t. In order to change, they must have a desire to change, and also the right mindset. In A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than A Haircut (Youth Radio/KCBS), the girl cuts her hair and has the desire to change, but she doesn’t have quite the right mindset, because she thinks a haircut will change the way she feels about herself. To change internally, or change your ways, you have to change the way you think. In some cases, you can get someone to think a different way by giving them a different perspective through convincing them, rather than arguing with them (How to change someone’s mind, according to science, By Ana Swanson). To change someone’s perspective, it is critical to be thorough and cover every aspect of the topic. In What’s Your Political Resolution For 2017, they wanted people to be open to change, especially through the conflicts the US has had recently with opposing views.

Megan Griffes

Megan Griffes

I believe that people are absolutely capable of change. People’s change in lifestyle or opinions can be altered due to various different reasons. Whether it’s setting a goal, being persuaded or being forced to make the change it is definitely possible whether it is a small change or a big one. In an article by Ana Swanson, she describes a website where users can post an opinion and challenge people to change their views. There are different things that make a convincing argument, one example given is that “The more people that try to persuade the original poster, the greater the likelihood of changing their view.” (Swanson, 2016, para. 5) So conclusively, the more people to persuade someone to change, the more likely they are to change. These people are open to their views being changed unlike many of the people who frequently post their opinions on social media. People still tend to reply with opposite views, Swanson’s article describes it as “the mindless clashes you often see on Twitter or Facebook” (Swanson, 2016, para. 4) People are less likely to change their opinions in these scenarios due to the unconvincing nature of the responses. Also, they are not looking to have their views challenged, yet change may still be possible. On the other hand, some people take change into their own hands. New year’s resolutions are a fantastic example. People want to change different aspects of their life and do so by setting a goal of sorts to achieve the desired change. Setting a goal can help induce change (Leitsinger, 2016, Audio) As explained, people are capable of change whether they want it or not. Certain aspects can influence change more effectively than others, but it is possible. (291)

Jack Guirey

I believe that people can change. It’s possible for them to change but it isn’t that common or easy of a thing to do. It is natural and instinctive for humans to have conflicting opinions and views. One of the things that what makes us human is that we are tribal, our far distant ancestors lived for thousands of years competing for land, resources, and control. Back then, and still even now it was “them” against “us”. Anna Swanson described an indicator of a non-convincible person’s language when she said (2016), “They find that first person pronouns (“I”) indicate an opinion is malleable, but first person plural pronouns (“we”) suggest the opposite.” (2016). People who state their opinions with “we” are hard to change because they believe their opinion is tribal, and therefore is correct because “their side” believes it is. The best way to trick someone into taking on your side is to not take a hostile tone, so the person doesn’t believe you are against them, but rather just trying to help and understand you (Swanson, 2016). If you can change people’s beliefs or attitudes on the individual level by using thorough and respectful arguments, you can circumvent their need to hold on to their “tribal” beliefs. Anna Swanson said (2016), “They find that longer replies tend to be more convincing, as do arguments that use calmer language.”

Mallory Dixon

I believe that people are capable of change but how big the change is or what is changing is not easy for some. An example of change in someone’s life is when someone wants to change and be more self confident. That person might change their looks by getting a haircut to try becoming more confident. Stella Lau saw that Beyonce had a pixie haircut and decided that she was also going to change her looks. She said, “A half an hour and twelve inches later I expected to feel like a super cool and confident person but inside I felt like an awkward pubescent boy” (A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than a Haircut, Youth Radio/KCBS). I think that if people really want to change and are capable of changing they will make sure to change their environment. “People don’t define who they are, their genetics and environment do” (How To Change Someone’s Mind, According To Science, The Washington Post). I believe that those who change their lifestyle overtime do adapt to the change. We all get into a routine of doing the same thing but if one thing goes wrong then we freak out a little.

According to US Santa Barbara, “People do seem capable of making simultaneous life changes.” I think that we are capable of change but we can’t expect our life to change in just one day. It will take some work and dedication. You can’t just tell your mind to change, it a routine that helps you change.

Emma Dunneback

If people are actually capable of change is a question I have always asked myself and I am led to believe that people can change. Ana Swanson wrote an article called, “How to change someone’s mind, according to science” in which she tells us that “the arguments that end up changing people’s minds have certain dynamics” (Swanson, para. 5). What she means by this is what kind of dynamics you put into the conversation help persuade. Timing and numbers are two very important factors in trying to change someone’s mind. For example say someone asks you some statistics on something that you are trying to change their mind on and you have no numbers but you just say “a lot” like “a lot of people get abortions” but if you have no numbers why should they be lead to believe you, it makes you sound uneducated on the subject.

Change in a person takes a lot more than a new wardrobe or a haircut, or even just changing their mind about certain topics. Stella tells us this by saying, “ learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair” (Lau, para. 4). In the audio, “A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than a Haircut” by Stella Lau she tells us that, “true confidence–like Beyonce-level confidence–is about having self-respect and learning not to rely on other people’s approval” (Lau, para. 5) and what she means is change goes a lot deeper than the surface. People are capable of changing all based on if they are willing to go deeper than the surface.

Gabriella

I believe that everyone is capable of change, but the type of change and the situation encompassing how and why they want to change affects what is advantageous when trying to become different. When someone tries to change their self they usually start on the outside, like the haircut that Stella Lau got. “A half-hour and twelve inches later I expected to feel like a super cool and confident person, but inside I felt like an awkward and pubescent boy” (A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than A Haircut, Youth Radio/KCBS). She wanted the confidence that Beyonce has, which you can;t just received from a haircut, you need to change how you think of yourself first. But it is also who you are surrounded by. Your genetics have something to do with it also, “People don’t define who they are, their genetics and environment do (How To Change Someone’s Mind, According To Science, The Washington Post, para. 2). Everyone says you act just like your parents, and genetics is one reason for that. So one way to change is to change how you think and who you surround yourself with.
If you are trying to change someone’s beliefs if definitely does not require a haircut, you need to use words. Numbers are an important agent to use, they convince people that you are telling them facts. Using a calm tone of voice is another persuasive thing to use. By being calm you let others know that you know what you are talking about (How To Change Someone’s Mind, According To Science, The Washington Post, para. 5). Using words like I, are malleable so people when they read it can think of themselves, and that the opinion is chargeable (How To Change Someone’s Mind, According To Science, The Washington Post, para. 6). Science says that people can change the way they are and how they think about things, so I believe that everyone is capable of change.

Jake Larson

New year’s resolutions. More than 50% of people say they have new year’s resolution, but in the past few decades mostly all of these resolutions fall flat and they give up. “people do seem to be capable of multiple, simultaneous life changes related to both their mental and physical health,” (UC Santa Barbara 2016). This quote gives scientific proof that it is possible to follow through with these resolutions, but through the fear of actually trying and sometimes ridicule like Stella Lau had, “after she tried (and failed) to boost her confidence by cutting off her hair,” (Lau 2016). Sometimes the only way to make a change in your life is to put yourself out into the world and accept the ridicule they give you. It may feel horrible right now but that will form you into a better person. “But it turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair,” (Lau 2016). This quote from Lau exemplifies the true meaning behind change, it is never as easy as it seems. It could be moving to a new place, or something as simple as eating healthier, but once you get past the person in the mirror, you can change anything.

Kayla Stout

Kayla Stout
English 112

I think people are capable of change, as drastically or as miniscule as they wish, though I believe there is one condition. In my opinion, a key component of the ability to change is the desire to change. If someone doesn’t want to change, then why or how would they? If people justify everything they do and do not think they are in the wrong then why would they change? For example, in the Bible there was a man named Saul “For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles…” (Galatians 1:11-16 NIV). He hated christians with such a passion, that he ordered them to be persecuted. One day he encountered Jesus and he was remorseful of what he had done; he wanted to change. Through Jesus, he became a new man, who turned into a loving man.
Another way for people to change is to love and respect yourself. “Changing my physical appearance can only do so much.” (Youth radio/KCBS). Just getting a haircut or new clothes doesn’t change who you are on the inside, nor how you feel about yourself.
People can aid in your changing of views of others or beliefs. People tend to be more believable when they use numbers, staying away from reiteration and offering new points, and using specific examples (The Washington Post).
Overall I think that whether people change or not mainly depends on their desire to change and how confident they feel about themselves.

Hannah Warren

Are people capable of change?
Hannah Warren

I believe people are capable of change, even if it is big or little. Something as little as getting a haircut. Sometimes getting a haircut dependents on the person, but for Stella Lau, she did not believe it was a change that helped her. She realized that changed does need to come from appearance it comes from your attitude and what you what not what others want. “But it turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.” (Youth Radio, 2017) It turns out that people who are capable of change, it dependents on what you were born into. “People don’t define who they are, their genetics and environment do.” (Ana Swanson, 2016) ChangeMyView found that the arguments that end up changing people’s minds have certain dynamics. “Numbers are important: The more people that try to persuade the original poster, the greater the likelihood of changing their view.” (Ana Swanson, 2016) People are capable of change and some people are better at it than others but we all get through it. I know making a big change is scary but you know what is even scarier, regret. That why making some little changes in our lives is better than regretting it. (210)

Julia

Julia Blackmer
Are People Actually Capable of Change?
Everyone is capable of change as long as they work toward it, don’t give up, and if it’s what they truly want. But change doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a slow gradual process that takes hard work, determination and self control. While trying to change, many people go back to their old habits not realizing that persistence is key. For example, if someone is trying to eat healthy and they mess up and eat a cupcake. They shouldn’t mentally beat themselves up over it but next time make the decision to make the healthier choice. In the Audio ” A Confidence Transformation Takes More than a Haircut” Stella Lau shares her story about how she got a pixie cut and instantly regretted it. She thought a different look would improve her confidence but in the end, it made her more self conscience. This is because change starts in your mind. You can change you physical appearance “But true confidence- like Beyonce- level confidence is about having self respect and learning not to rely on other people’s approval.”
Someone who is seeking change must be open minded to all solutions and be willing try new things that may be out of their comfort zone. It is completely futile to try and force someone to change who refuses to put forth the effort. But according to the Washington Post in the article “How to Change Someones Mind According to Science” there are effective tactics on how to persuade people. When posting on social media or writing persuasive arguments people find your writing more credible when your response is longer, you use calm language and specific examples, include links with supporting information and use phrases like for example or for instance. Using tangible evidence such as statistics and numbers can help persuade your reader to change their mind.
In the Audio ” What’s your Political resolution of 2017?” they ask everyone to post what we want to see change in America’s future. But to change something worldwide such as equal rights for all women. Everyone must participate and fight for what they believe in. Instead of writing goals such as ending racism, I find it more helpful to write down small goals that will help you achieve your overall goal. Change must be taken in baby steps because everyone was raised differently which results in different opinions, biases and prejudices.

Nick H.

Yes, I believe that everyone is capable of making a change. Thousands of people make resolutions each year to improve their life in some way. Some of the “most popular resolutions are…planning to quit smoking, eat better or take other steps to improve their health” (New Year, New You?). All of these resolutions focus on the idea of creating a healthier lifestyle for yourself. The reality is that everyone can make a change. It isn’t any harder to pick up an apple instead of junk food. I believe the reason people fail at accomplishing their resolutions isn’t because they can’t physically do it but rather lack the motivation to accomplish it. “Many of you have probably already given yourself the goal to work out more or to eat healthier” (What’s Your Political Resolution for 2017). The majority of people who set a resolution will start out looking to accomplish it. After a while, however, people lose interest in their visions due to the fact that most of them “expected to feel like this super-cool and confident person” immediately (A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than a Haircut). It can be expected that a worthwhile personal change can consume quite a bit of time to accomplish. I definitely believe that people are physically capable of making a change but a person’s need for instant gratification keeps them from accomplishing their goals most of the time.

Josh Markham (Reign Of Inverte

The universe is constantly clamoring to change your mind about something – whether it’s in the form of Twitter feuds, political debates or Mountain Dew’s horrible “puppy monkey baby” Super Bowl ad (How to change someone’s mind, according to science- The Washington Post). Are people actually capable of change? The answer to this question is very complex. People often make slight changes in the way they do things. For example, many people who have a new year’s resolution never actually go through with it. Among those who had a New Year’s resolution, 72% said they kept it (New year, new you?). According to the same article, these percentages generally stay similar, but when things change in their lives, the numbers can flip flop. Change is constant in our lives, but something truly life-changing isn’t all that common, and sometimes, people decide that they like things better without altering their ways. Haircuts are a great example. On a youth radio story, Stella Lau talks about getting a pixie cut, something she’d wanted for a long time and thought that it would make her feel more confident. When it did exactly the opposite, she decided things were better before. “Changing my physical appearance can only do so much. But true confidence–like Beyonce-level confidence–is about having self-respect and learning not to rely on other people’s approval” (A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than a Haircut, KCBS Stella Lau). Change is also a matter of motivation. If someone is unhappy with their weight, they have to commit to change in order to reduce it. So in the long run, people are capable of change, but not all changes are necessary to be happy.

Oliver McCarthy

Everyone is capable of change with enough motivation and persistence. The way we go about this change can make or break the desired end result. If you are changing for another person most likely it will be short lived, but if you are changing for you, then with enough determination it could stick. The two most popular types of changes are physical and mental. Physical is usually getting in shape, or eating healthier. Mental is where the most change occurs, we try to change addictive personalities, compulsive lying, paranoia, and other negative aspects. “People are expressly charged with being open-minded, opinions don’t change in the majority of cases” ( Swanson, 2016). Some cases of changed are not decided but forced. Interventions go along way when implemented correctly. They should be open and make the person feel safe. It should be made up of only family and close friends that have witnessed the behavior the person is struggling with. Most interventions are so effective because it shows that person how many people care and want to help. “12% of people said they want to be a better person” (Goo, 2013). People who struggle mentally often take it out on others, and with that comes the consequence of having less people like you. Change can always be achieved through incentives, no, not the type you buy at the store, but the type that are earned like strong relationships and trust. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek” ( Obama, 2015).

Reid Goble

Are people even capable of change? I believe that people are able to change, but the reality is it does not occur in a drastic “360 life transformation” as Stella Lau shows us on Youth Radio. Change does not happen in a day it takes time, effort, and confidence. Many people want to change an aspect of their life, but end up giving up on their efforts because it is too hard at first or is taking too long. This is clearly shown in peoples New Year resolutions which “statistics show most resolutions won’t last” (KQED Introduction). New Year resolutions don’t work out for most people because they want the change to happen right away and for it to get easier right away, but aren’t willing to put the effort in to make the change. Although, this does not mean that people are incapable of change, it just means the majority of people don’t change. This also transfers over to trying to change a person’s opinions, which also usually fail. People’s ideas can, however, be changed and persuaded to another side. “The arguments that end up changing people’s minds have certain dynamics” according to Ana Swanson at The Washington Post. These dynamics are necessary for a person to successfully be “changed”. In the end, people are capable of change, but it takes a great amount of effort, on both sides, to change someone.

Lucas Hamp

kqed
2nd hour
are people capable of change?

the kind of change people are capable of truly, is the unintended, the accidental. the type of change that comes from course of our lives is not massive, but rather similar to our goals. so yes its possible but its not something you can see yourself doing.

Evan Koetje

I believe that people are capable of change, but some seem to cope with it and adapt better than others. What I mean by this is some people tend to adapt better to their situation, or change however they want. In my eyes this is because of their reason and desire. In the audio “A Confidence Transformation Takes More Than a Haircut”, Stella Lau said that the difference between Beyonce changing and her changing is the fact that Beyonce didn’t feel like she needed to get permission from anyone. She had complete confidence in herself. Stella Lau got one because she saw that Beyonce had one. Another thing I found to be very interesting was the article “How to Change Someone’s Mind, According to Science”, by Ana Swanson. This told the reader how mainly on social media you can change someone’s mind. “Their research suggests that the arguments that end up changing people’s minds have certain dynamics.” (Swanson, p.5) You can’t just try absolutely anything to change someone’s mind. There are some things that clearly work, and some that don’t. For example, “The researchers find that the factor most linked with successfully persuading someone is using different words than the original posts do – a sign that commentators are bringing in new points of view.” (Swanson, p.9) This to me was the most interesting of the factors. If you bring a completely different point of view to the table, then there is a much better chance that you will be able to persuade someone.

Jordan Hull

I believe that people are capable of change. It may be more difficult dependent on the situation and what kind of change the person is trying to make, but it is all possible. I think it is based on how much the person wants the change to happen. Like any other situation people are going to try harder based on how much they want it. Like how some people work out in the winter for their summer body, or how some people will do all homework and extra credit because they want perfect grades and to get into a good college. But all of these tasks takes responsibility and commitment to be able and succeed in their tasks. People are capable of change, but are people willing to make that change? In our generation it seems that people are either to lazy to try and change or they are too scared to make the change. Either way they aren’t making that change that they desire. And it just shows how much our generation is willing.

Hannah Watton

I believe that people are capable of change. I also believe that changing takes more than an argument or a big decision. For someone to change who they are or what they believe takes deep and personal realizations that can only come about through a series of positive and/or negative experiences in their life. Stella Lau (who cut her hair to gain confidence) admitted, “learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.” She taught me that surface changes mean nothing unless there is a change inside associated with it. Inner change is personal and shouldn’t be influenced by others opinions, rather through a change of perspective. Perspective can be defined as one’s worldview or outlook. Everyone’s view of the world is as unique as the prints on their fingertips. Every word that is spoken to us from infancy has some sort of effect on who we are and what we will become. Each experience someone has could change their perspective. If someone would like to change another’s mind or attitude they must offer information and perspectives that the person hasn’t already heard. In How to Change Someone’s Mind According to Science, I learned, “The researchers find that the factor most linked with successfully persuading someone is using different words than the original posts do – a sign that commentators are bringing in new points of view.” I also learned that calmer language tends to help change someone’s mind or attitude compared to violently trying to argue why one believes differently. Sometimes people’s opinions or attitudes aren’t worth trying to change. People can be stubborn in their beliefs. From How to Change Someone’s Mind According to Science, “Stubborn views are expressed with more excitement, and using decisive words like “anyone,” “certain,” and “nothing,” and superlative adjectives like “worst” and “best.” If someone were to read these words in a post or hear them when someone is giving their opinion one shouldn’t argue against it in hopes of changing their mind. In these instances, deep, inner changes must come about in order to change one’s mind. I don’t believe all opinions are easily changeable but I do believe all people are capable of change.

maddie swan

I would like to believe that people are capable of change, but in some cases I do not. The reason I do not believe that everyone is capable of change is because to better yourself takes a lot of persistence and motivation, and some people just lack motivation now a days.Usually when someone decides that they want to change themselves they need lots and lots of reinforcement through it. Depending on the person of course. Something as little as getting a haircut. Sometimes getting a haircut dependents on the person, but for Stella Lau, she did not believe it was a change that helped her. She realized that changed does need to come from appearance it comes from your attitude and what you what not what others want. “But it turns out learning to love yourself goes way deeper than just hair.” (Youth Radio, 2017) It turns out that people who are capable of change need motivation and belief in themselves or a reason to change.

Keely Baccus

I agree that change takes a lot of work and commitment and sometimes you don’t need change. It is true that sometimes you just need strength and confidence. Any difference in your life is going to take effort. #DoNowChange #MyCMSTArgs

Keely Baccus

I think that people are capable of change if the work hard at it every day. Change is a huge thing to accomplish. You have to want to change and you have to actively try. Making a new years resolution and going to the gym once doesn’t equal change. Change happens when you decide something in your life isn’t working and you commit to change it. Though sometimes you don’t need change, sometimes you need confidence, acceptance, and support. #MyCMSTArgs #DoNowChange

D Brown

I would have to agree with you, you have to be committed to the process, being aware of both the positive and negative. Having a support system will help you stay on track.
#MyCMSTArgs #DoNowChange

D Brown

I think people are complex creatures that are capable of change, if they are really determined. I also believe it can’t just be one aspect, like your appearance, it would have to be change as a whole. According to an article by Julian Ford on https://www.psychologytoday.com we are more capable of change than we think. It is a process and being aware of how your mind works to adapt. There are helpful tools available to help make change more possible. As per most things, being educated on the subject at end will help in the long run. I can from speak from experience, change, though difficult, is possible.
#MyCMSTArgs #DoNowChange

Author

Youth Radio

Youth Radio is the Peabody Award-winning youth-driven production company headquartered in Oakland, California. For more Youth Radio stories and lesson ideas, check out www.youthradio.org .

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